The theme for the 2018/19’ residency program is Buffer Zones: Buffer zones have various purposes, political or otherwise. They can be set up to prevent violence, protect the environment, protect residential and commercial zones from industrial accidents or natural disasters. Platform invites the artists to contemplate the theme from various angles.

Platform offers accommodation, travel expenses (one return trip, cheapest possible) and a working grant (approx. 300 € per week) and also a small production budget of 1000 €, which the artist may reimburse by presenting original receipts of purchases, specifically connected to the project produced during the residency. The apartment is located near the city center in Vaasa. There is a bike, a set of tools and equipment available for the artist. There is wireless broadband access in the apartment.

Artists are expected to realize a project, which can be presented either during the residency or at a later stage and to give a public talk about their work at the beginning of the residency. The artist should able to communicate in English, Swedish or Finnish and spend at least 80% of the residency’s duration in Vaasa. The working grant is proportional to days spent in Vaasa. The artists are required to submit documentation of the produced project to Platform, as well as press release / information text / informal report or equivalent.

Applicants with an emphasis on the local context through the artistic ideas and plans presented are greatly appreciated. As Platform do not have a studio at the moment the plan must include a vision of the space or environment the project will be carried out in. If properly motivated a studio space may be rented or borrowed for the project. During this residency period, Platform will focus on longer residencies up to 4 months. The possibility of spending time in the local setting will give depth to the outcomes of the projects realized. The planned projects have to take this into account, space can be rented or borrowed if needed for the realization of the project and has to be negotiated in advance. The artist is given a contact person who is in charge of necessary arrangements, but note that this is voluntary work so if any additional assistance is needed it has to be agreed upon well in advance.

Application procedure

Please follow these instructions closely. Applications not following these requirements will not be considered. Its required to send a digital application to info@platform.fi with the subject ‘Residency Application 2018/19’ by the 10th of December. The application should be one PDF document with your full name as title of the document. Don’t paste any relevant information in the email that is not part of the PDF. Please include the following in the PDF:

• An informal project plan or motivation letter, max one page. The aim of the letter should be describing the kind of project you imagine doing in Vaasa and your motivation to apply for this residency and how you see that your artistic work connects to the theme of Buffer Zones. The project plan should also include your preferred period of time, and state if the time period is relevant for the project as well as clearly state what time/ times that aren’t suitable.
• Descriptions and images of 5 projects or art works. For videos, please add direct links to websites in the PDF.
• A CV of max one page, including: name, date and place of birth, current postal address as well as email and phone number.

The application shall occupy no more than 12 pages and 5 mb. All submitted material should be Macintosh compatible. The board of Platform will make the selection. Only chosen artists will receive a notification about the selection latest at the end January 2018. The board is under no obligation to justify the selection. If you have questions about the residency please ask them well before the deadline, since Platform is a voluntary community response times may vary.

Find more information about Platform and the residency here.

Applications are due 10 December.